Combined kiln and drying tunnel



, P n. L A. KLUSE. atented Apr. 4, |899. GUMBINED KILN AND DRYING TUNNEL.

(Application Bled Jan. 10, 1899.)

2 Shears-sheet (No Modell.)

No. B22-,238. Patented Apr. 4, |899.

- R. & A. KLDSE.

COMBINED KILN AND DRYING TUNNEL.

(Application tiled Jan. 10, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(no Modal.)

@UMa/wonen UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT KLOSE .AND ALOIS -KLOSEB OF HASTINGS, NEBRASKA.

COMBINED KILNAND DRYING TUNNEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,238, dated April 4, 1899.

Application filed January 10, 1899. Serial No. 701,706. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that we, ROBERT KLosF., a citizen of the United States, and ALOIs KLOSE, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Hastings, in the county of Adams and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Kiln and Drying Tunnel, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to'lneans for drying and burning bricks, tiles, and articles of pottery and it consists, essentially, in constructing a continuous kiln with self-contained drying-tunnels and with fines connecting the kiln-tunnels with the drying-tunnels, whereby the green brick or other articles are partly dried by means of the indirect heat radiating from the partitions which separate the kiln.

tunnels from the drying-tunnels and by the direct heat which is taken from the kiln-tunnels and conveyed to the drying-tunnels, thereby utilizing` the waste heat for subsequent kiln charges, the wholevarran gement of kiln-tunnels and drying-tunnels being contained within one single and compact structure.

Our invention further consists in the parts, the constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts, which we will hereinafter fully describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure l represents a central transverse sectional view of a combined kiln and drier embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line fr of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the end wall of the structure at the lower or discharge end of the drier. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken through the end wall of the structure at the upper or receiving end of the drier. Fig.l5 is ahorizontal sectional View of a portion of the structure-,at thelower or discharge end thereof. Fig. 6 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the upper or receiving end of the structure.

In the drawings We illustrate our improvement in connection with what is known as a continuous kiln; but the broad feature of invention may be applied to other forms of kilns without departing from the scope of the invention. Itis, however, withthe continuous type of kilns that the improvements particularly relate and are specially adapted to.

As ordinarily constructed continuous kilns consist of, say, fourteen (14) or more connected chambers arranged so as to have, say, seven (7) chambers on each side. These chambers are usually about sixteen feet long, which would give a tunnel of an aggregate length of about one hundred and twelve feet, or more, if desired. Y

In carrying out the present invention We locate between the tunnels of the kiln suitable drying tunnels, so disposed that the waste heat of the kiln-tunnels, the heat radiating from the partition-walls, and the heat radiating from cooling brick in the kiln-tunnels are conducted to the drying-tunnelsand utilized for drying charges of green brick, tile, or other articles of clay or like material, thereby dispensing with a separate drier with its necessary heating-pipes, furnace, attende ants, &c., and placing the entire structure under one roof to the great saving in the area of land occupied, fuel, and number of operatives required, resulting also in a more uniform product and a more economical manufacture of the same. To effect these results, We form the partition B, which separates the kiln-tunnels A, with drying-tunnels C, hav

ing brick arches and lines of rails D, forming tracks upon which are adapted to run the cars E, which serve to introduce and remove the brick from the tunnels. These tunnels C are preferably of such cross-sectional dimensions that very little space is left between the loaded cars and the inner walls of the tunnels, the object of this being to cause the heated air to pass through and in contact with the brick, and the tunnels, as shown, are located one above the other, any well-known form of inclined track or elevator (not shown) being used for running the loaded cars into and out of the upper tunnel.

. To resist the weight of the cars in the npper tunnel upon the arch of the tunnel below and also to properly brace the side walls of the partition which separates these dryingtunnels from the kiln-tunnels, we prefer to support the track rails upon iron or steel lOO passage through the tun nels being subjectedv to the heat before alluded to and being uniformly diied.

To properly convey the heat of the kilntunnels to the drying-tunnels, we use theusual iire holes or passages a in the roof of each kiln-tunnel, and we further construct the partition-wall B with flues c, which lead into the drying-tunnels, at the lower or discharge end thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these tlues or passages having a suitable form of controlling dampers c'. The lire holes or passages d' have caps or dampers d2, and any desired number of these holes orpassages from each kiln-tunnel may be connected with one of the tlues c by means of removable pipes or boxes D, having branches D', which tit over the upper ends of the fire holes or passages and having one of said branches to fit over an entrance to the flue c, as shown in Fig. l, whereby the waste heat from the kilntunnel, from whatever source it may be derived, is transmitted by the pipes or boxesl) direct to the Hue c and drying-tunnels withy out any appreciable loss in temperature.

The heat thus transmitted circulates through the drying-tunnels to contact with the brick or articles contained therein and is inallydischarged at the upper or receiving end of the tunnels in the manner we will now describe.

The receiving end of the structure is formed or provided with iiues d, which lead from the tunnels into a chamber or main draft-fine F, leading to the smoke-stack, the kiln-tunnels having their flues F also leading to this same ue F and stack, and each of the aforesaid lines being damper-controlled in any suitable manner. This arrangement induces a horizontal draft through the Whole length of the drying-tunnels, and the heat which enters through the iiues c at the discharge end of said tunnels first acts upon the dry or nearly dry brick or other articles, and passing toward the opposite end, so as to reach the tiues d, it absorbs moisture from the less dried brick, so that when this heat reaches the receiving end of the tunnels it has been so lowered in temperature that the wet or green bricks at that point are' subjected to a low heat, thereby preventing the objectionable cracking of the brick, which occurs if such bricks are subjected to a high degree of heat.

Shouldit be necessary to dry some kinds of brick more slowly, the drying-tunnels could be extended beyond the kiln-tunnels,as shown by dotted lines at G in Fig. 2, without affecting the purpose of the present invention. The kiln-tunnels are connected at the ends by means of an underground iue or passage H, and when the tire reaches the end of one kiln-tunnel it passes through this flue and into the other tunnel, and in doing this it passes below the floor of the lower drying-tunnel, so that any radiated heat may be utilized in the latter for drying purposes.

The kiln-tunnels are provided with doors at J, one of these doors leading to cach chamber of these tunnels, and the outer Walls of these tunnels are provided with draft-passages j, one for each chamber, which extend upwardand connect with the draft-fines leading to the smoke-stack.

' From this description it will be seen that we construct a single organized structure with burning and dryingtunnels, and in doing this we effect a large saving in erecting new plan ts, as no extra drier, with its buildings, racks, steam-pipes, duc., is required, as the whole plant is under one roof and the machinery for operating the plant being placed at one end of the structure. We also economize in the use of land, 4and utilize for drying t-he bricks simply the waste heat of the burningkilns, and no firemen or watchmen are vrequired, as in the case of separate drying plants. The usual repairs are not required to the drier, as we use no pipes or wooden racks, roofs, &c., which must be kept in condition, and we obtain a more uniform product, as the heat is entirely under control, and only a clean and dry heat is used.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A kiln having a tunnel, in combination with a drying-tunnel contained within a wall of the kiln, a flue interposed between the kilntunnel and drying-tunnel, extending parallel with and substantially the length'of the tunnels and communicating at one end with the latter, means connecting the kiln-tunnel with said flue and a main flue connecting both the kiln-tunnel and drying-tunnel with the smoke-stack.

2. A kiln having a self-contained dryingtunnel, a main draft-Hue connecting the kilntunnel With the smoke-stack, a flue extending parallel with and substantially the length of the tunnels and connecting at one end with the drying-tunnel, means connecting the opposite end of the last-named iiue with the kiln-tunnel and a flue connecting the opposite end of the drying-tunnel with the main draft-flue.

3. A continuous kiln having substantially parallel tunnels, in combination with one or more drying-tunnels Within a wall ot' the kiln between the tunnels thereof, and flues be- IOO tween the tunnels, extending parallel with and substantially the length of said tunnels and communicating with the discharge ends of the drying-tunnels, and connecting the kiln-tunnels with the drying-tunnels whereby theradiated heat and the direct waste heat of the kiln-tunnels are utilized in the dryingtunnels.

4. A continuous kiln having tunnels and having a partition-Wall formed With superposed, inclined drying-tunnels, longitudinally-extending ues connecting the kilntunnels with the discharge ends of the drying-tunnels, a main draft-flue leading to the smoke-stack and other flues connecting the receiving ends of the drying-tunnels with said draft-flue.

5. A continuous kiln having tunnels provided with re holes or passages, drying-tunnels contained within the Walls of the kiln and lues in said Walls connecting with the discharge ends of the drying-tunnels, reinovf able pipes'or boxes having means connecting one or more of the fire-holes with said flue whereby the heat of the kiln-tunnels is directly transmitted to the drying-tunnels, a main draft-flue, flues connectingthekiln-tunnels With the draft-fine and other uesconnecting the receiving ends of the drying-tunlues, drying-tunnels contained Within the walls of the kiln and luesconnecting the kiln-tunnels therewith, and other fines connecting the drying-tunnels with said draftiiue.

our-hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT KLosE. ALoIs KLosE;

Witnesses:

GRACE WALDRoN, U. S. ROHRER.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set 

